# Script to display active brush settings in status bar

**URL:** <https://krita-artists.org/t/script-to-display-active-brush-settings-in-status-bar/116174>\
**Category:** General Questions\
**Tags:** windows, brushes-help\
**Created:** [February 21, 2025, 1:31pm UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/script-to-display-active-brush-settings-in-status-bar/116174 "2025-02-21T13:31:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![angrymidget4728](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/angrymidget4728/32/232511_2.png) [@angrymidget4728](https://krita-artists.org/u/angrymidget4728)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2025, 1:31pm UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/script-to-display-active-brush-settings-in-status-bar/116174/1 "2025-02-21T13:31:37Z")

</div>

Hi all. Going for a minimalistic look for my workspace/UI, so I’ve removed almost all menus except the bare minimum.

 ![image](https://krita-artists.org/uploads/default/original/3X/a/1/a12d854908fac12b0c0d6225de206f1b6602377b.png)

So recently I’ve thought of changing up my artstyle a bit to explore new grounds, mainly implementing blend modes and opacity for my brush itself. I have hotkeys set up, but I have no way of knowing if I’m in the correct mode until I actually do a stroke or two.  
For example, if I use the hotkey for brush size, I can see the change reflected in the cursor; same goes for blend modes for the layers. But for brush opacity and brush blend mode, there’s no way to know if I remove the relevant docker.

So I wanted to know how I could get the current blend mode and opacity (and maybe also size?) to be displayed in the status bar, right beside the brush’s name at the bottom left.

 ![image](https://krita-artists.org/uploads/default/original/3X/2/8/289e068be6731ebb67ff59fe170202cf649fdddb.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AkiR](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/akir/32/8557_2.png) [@AkiR](https://krita-artists.org/u/AkiR)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2025, 6:53pm UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/script-to-display-active-brush-settings-in-status-bar/116174/2 "2025-02-21T18:53:47Z")

</div>

Tiny plugin for showing current brush blending, opacity and size in status bar.

### File Tree Structure

 ![image](https://krita-artists.org/uploads/default/original/3X/7/5/759f7efe4a830b0c8b8f04d68511176215238822.png)

### `brush_status_plugin/ __init__.py`

```python
from krita import Krita

PLUGIN_NAME = __name__

def register_plugin():
    from .brush_status_extension import BrushStatusExtension
    app = Krita.instance()
    app.addExtension(BrushStatusExtension(app))

register_plugin()

```

### `brush_status_plugin/brush_status_extension.py`

```python
from krita import Krita, Extension
from PyQt5.QtCore import QTimer
from PyQt5.QtGui import QFont
from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QLabel
from brush_status_plugin import PLUGIN_NAME

def str_to_bool(value):
    clean_value = value.strip().lower()
    if clean_value in {'y', 'yes', 't', 'true', 'on', '1'}:
        return True
    elif clean_value in {'n', 'no', 'f', 'false', 'off', '0'}:
        return False
    else:
        raise ValueError(f'invalid truth value (did get: value = {value!r})')

class BrushStatusExtension(Extension):
    LABEL_NAME = f'{PLUGIN_NAME}:brush_status_label'
    VISIBILITY_ACTION_NAME = f'{PLUGIN_NAME}:brush_status_wisibility_action'
    VISIBILITY_SETTING_NAME = 'brush_status_label_visibility'
    UPDATE_INTERVAL = 100 # ms

    def __init__ (self, parent):
        super(). __init__ (parent)
        self.setObjectName(f'{PLUGIN_NAME}:{type(self). __qualname__ }')

    def setup(self):
        self._qwindow_and_label_list = list()
        self._update_timer = QTimer(interval=self.UPDATE_INTERVAL, parent=self)
        self._update_timer.timeout.connect(self._on_update_brush_status_labels)
        self._update_timer.start()

    def createActions(self, window):
        # add action under this windows tools menu, for toggling visibility of brush status label in all windows
        app = Krita.instance()
        brush_status_wisibility_action = window.createAction(
                self.VISIBILITY_ACTION_NAME,
                'Brush status visibility',
                'tools')
        visibility = str_to_bool(app.readSetting(PLUGIN_NAME, self.VISIBILITY_SETTING_NAME, 'True'))
        brush_status_wisibility_action.setChecked(visibility)
        brush_status_wisibility_action.toggled.connect(self._on_brush_status_visibility_toggled)
        # insert new label to this windows status bar
        qwindow = window.qwindow()
        label = QLabel(objectName=self.LABEL_NAME, font=QFont('DejaVu Sans'))
        label.destroyed.connect(self._on_label_destroyed)
        self._qwindow_and_label_list.append((qwindow, label))
        qwindow.statusBar().insertWidget(2, label) #, stretch=30
        # upodate visibility of all labels and start / restart update timer
        self._on_update_brush_status_labels()

    def _on_label_destroyed(self, obj):
        self._qwindow_and_label_list[:] = ((w, l) for w, l in self._qwindow_and_label_list if l is not obj)

    def _on_brush_status_visibility_toggled(self, checked=None):
        Krita.instance().writeSetting(PLUGIN_NAME, self.VISIBILITY_SETTING_NAME, str(checked))
        self._on_update_brush_status_labels()

    def _on_update_brush_status_labels(self):
        app = Krita.instance()
        visibility = str_to_bool(app.readSetting(PLUGIN_NAME, self.VISIBILITY_SETTING_NAME, 'True'))
        for qwindow, label in self._qwindow_and_label_list:
            window = next((w for w in app.windows() if w.qwindow() == qwindow), None)
            if not window:
                continue # skip
            view = window.activeView()
            new_text = ' <font color="#55000000">|</font> '.join([
                    f'current blending mode: <font color="#77FFFF">{view.currentBlendingMode()}</font>',
                    f'painting opacity: <font color="#FF77FF">{view.paintingOpacity():.2f}</font>',
                    f'brush size: <font color="#FFFF77">{view.brushSize():.2f}</font>',
                    # f'foreground_color: {view.foregroundColor()}',
                    # f'background_color: {view.backgroundColor()}',
                    # f'brush_rotation: {view.brushRotation()}',
                    # f'painting_flow: {view.paintingFlow()}',
                    # f'pattern_size: {view.patternSize()}',
                    # f'current_brush_preset: {view.currentBrushPreset()}',
                    # f'current_gradient: {view.currentGradient()}',
                    # f'current_pattern: {view.currentPattern()}',
                    # f'global_alpha_lock: {view.globalAlphaLock()}',
                    # f'disable_pressure: {view.disablePressure()}',
                    # f'eraser_mode: {view.eraserMode()}',
                    # f'hdr_exposure: {view.HDRExposure()}',
                    # f'hdr_gamma: {view.HDRGamma()}',
                    ])
            label.setVisible(visibility)
            label.setText(new_text)

```

### `brush_status_plugin/brush_status.action`

```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<ActionCollection version="2" name="Scripts">
    <Actions category="Scripts">
        <text>Brush Status Plugin</text>
        <Action name="brush_status_plugin:brush_status_wisibility_action">
            <icon></icon>
            <text>Brush status visibility</text>
            <whatsThis>Brush status visibility</whatsThis>
            <toolTip>Toggle visibility of brush status at status bar</toolTip>
            <iconText></iconText>
            <activationFlags>0</activationFlags>
            <activationConditions>0</activationConditions>
            <shortcut></shortcut>
            <isCheckable>true</isCheckable>
            <statusTip></statusTip>
        </Action>
    </Actions>
</ActionCollection>

```

### `brush_status_plugin.desktop`

```ini
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Service
ServiceTypes=Krita/PythonPlugin
X-KDE-Library=brush_status_plugin
X-Python-2-Compatible=false
X-Krita-Manual=readme.md
Name=Brush Status Plugin
Comment=Show extra info about current brush in status bar.

```

### how it looks in Krita

![image](https://krita-artists.org/uploads/default/optimized/3X/5/4/540bd695d21294fff190ff71e803348d9fd893ac_2_400x6.png)

Ps: looks like copy & paste from Krita to Forum scales the image?

Edit: forced brush size and opacity to 2 decimal places.

/AkiR

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![angrymidget4728](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/angrymidget4728/32/232511_2.png) [@angrymidget4728](https://krita-artists.org/u/angrymidget4728)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 9:40am UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/script-to-display-active-brush-settings-in-status-bar/116174/3 "2025-02-22T09:40:09Z")

</div>

It doesn’t seem to be working, and it showed up as grey in the plugin manager after I activated it. Did I do something wrong?

 ![image](https://krita-artists.org/uploads/default/original/3X/c/7/c7f2723f6228511973d8ccd762280a0235275200.png)

I created the files in the exact folder structure you instructed. No changes were made to the code; a simple copy paste.

 ![image](https://krita-artists.org/uploads/default/original/3X/9/f/9f900be8a292e945c424b8897857cffc213116f1.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AkiR](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/akir/32/8557_2.png) [@AkiR](https://krita-artists.org/u/AkiR)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 9:53am UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/script-to-display-active-brush-settings-in-status-bar/116174/4 "2025-02-22T09:53:26Z")

</div>

Hmm, plugin is in correct place (Krita’s Python Plugin Manager can find the plugin.)  
I have only tested in Krita (5.2.6) in Windows, maybe there is some `pykrita` command that was added that is not available in old versions.

If you hover over the grayed plugin, it should give a pop up about the error.

/AkiR

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![angrymidget4728](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/angrymidget4728/32/232511_2.png) [@angrymidget4728](https://krita-artists.org/u/angrymidget4728)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 10:05am UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/script-to-display-active-brush-settings-in-status-bar/116174/5 "2025-02-22T10:05:27Z")

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Found the mistake. It was a typo with the folder. Should be `_plugin` instead of `.plugin`

Thanks a whole bunch!!! Works like a charm! 😄

Also added a round function to deal with the whole `14.99999999999` issue that makes the whole line jump around in terms of width. Now I can make sure I look at a fixed place for it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![angrymidget4728](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/angrymidget4728/32/232511_2.png) [@angrymidget4728](https://krita-artists.org/u/angrymidget4728)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 10:22am UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/script-to-display-active-brush-settings-in-status-bar/116174/6 "2025-02-22T10:22:58Z")

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Hi again. I was looking through the script and thought that seeing Eraser mode would also be useful, so I tried uncommenting that line. But it gives me an error saying `view` object has no attribute named `eraserMode`. What can I do to fix this?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AkiR](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/akir/32/8557_2.png) [@AkiR](https://krita-artists.org/u/AkiR)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 10:44am UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/script-to-display-active-brush-settings-in-status-bar/116174/7 "2025-02-22T10:44:29Z")

</div>

Sadly it looks like `View.eraserMode()` was added in `5.3.0-prealpha` (… it would help if there would be info about version changes in pykrita documentaion …)

/AkiR

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![angrymidget4728](https://krita-artists.org/user_avatar/krita-artists.org/angrymidget4728/32/232511_2.png) [@angrymidget4728](https://krita-artists.org/u/angrymidget4728)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2025, 10:56am UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/script-to-display-active-brush-settings-in-status-bar/116174/8 "2025-02-22T10:56:33Z")

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Ah, I see. Guess I’ll wait then. It’s no big deal. Thanks again!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://krita-artists.org/uploads/default/original/1X/e446d8b3077ddf6dfb5b2cd65199c20095b47dcf.png) [@system](https://krita-artists.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 10:56am UTC](https://krita-artists.org/t/script-to-display-active-brush-settings-in-status-bar/116174/9 "2025-02-26T10:56:38Z")

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